Buck Showalter. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Update (Oct. 1, 4:37 pm ET): “The Mets officially announced a noon Monday news conference with Steve Cohen to introduce president of baseball operations David Stearns and address the manager change.” This per Tim Healey of Newsday.
Correction (Oct. 1, 2:17 pm ET): Owner Steve Cohen confirmed that the team made the decision to move on from Showalter. This per Tim Healey of Newsday.
After two years as manager of the New York Mets, Buck Showalter will not return in 2024, he announced Sunday.
“I was honored to get a chance to manage a second New York team,” Showalter was quoted saying by Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com. “I’m proud of what the Mets did. We won close to 180 games in two years. Especially last year, as much fun as I’ve ever had in the game. It reminded me of why I always loved this kind of work.”
Mike Puma of the New York Post reported it was essentially a forced resignation, and Showalter would have been fired if he did not step aside.
Showalter was hired ahead of the 2022 season, and was the first manager hired by Steve Cohen after he became the owner of the Mets. He led the Mets to a 101-win season in 2022, which was the second-most in a season in franchise history.
However, that season is probably most known for a disappointing end, squandering a division lead they held for most of the year and winning just one playoff game, losing to the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card round.
After the 101-win 2022 campaign, Showalter and the Mets came back and has one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, going from World Series contender to a sub-.500 ballclub. The announcement that he will not return for 2024 came ahead of the final game of the season.
The Mets also are set to announce David Stearns as the new president of baseball operations on Monday. Stearns is coming over from the Milwaukee Brewers, and there is some speculation that he could bring Craig Counsell with him as the manager. Showalter’s departure makes that possibility all the more likely.
